Saturday, April 07, 2007

"If you don't sell your house in a couple of months and you're lookin' for a husband, my number's in the book."

Said to me by Black Dave (one of the sous chef's) on my exit from the restaurant tonight.

All of the guys on the line were really sad it was my last day. I got lots of hugs and well wishes. Chef Dave (different than above, and the executive chef) gave me a huge hug and told me he was sorry to see me go. He also wrote the following on a review for me at school:

"Maggie is an outstanding employee-we wish her luck in her new experiences. Maggie will become an outstanding chef and leader in the industry. I wish every intern had the attitude that Maggie demonstrates."

WOW! He handed it to be folded up and I didn't get to peek at it until I was home. What wonderful comments!! I especially like the "leader in the industry" part.

The best part about today? I got out 4 hours early! Yay! But, I'm going to be baking my little heart out for Easter tomorrow...

Friday, April 06, 2007

Not BECAUSE I'm not supposed to...but I just...I dunno...they're always the most fun to touch.

On the wall near the bathrooms there are 2 buttons labeled "Bathroom Lights" and I've always wanted to press them, mainly because they are cool looking and look like they'd make a cool "click" sound, but I haven't because, well...they are the lights to the bathroom.

But c'mon-how tempting IS that?

1. They're cool looking and look like they'd make a neat "click" sound2. They are the LIGHTS to the BATHROOM. On the outside. Where anyone can push them.

Happy Good Friday everyone! Not much is happening in my world today and I didn't have it in me to write a story, so here's a fun little ditty...feel free to play along in the comment section.

AppetizerWhen you travel, which mode of transportation do you prefer?I prefer road trips and driving, however most of the places I like to visit are far away, and therefore, I fly.SoupHave you ever met a blogging friend in person?No. I have met other people I've met online in person, but no blog friends. One of my friends IS a blogger though.

SaladWhen was the last time you were really, really tired?This is a silly question. I'm really, really tired every week due to my schedule. Last month especially because of the competition.

Main CourseIf you could have dinner with any one fictional character from a book or movie, who would it be?As odd as it sounds-Boo Radley. It's my favorite book and I think he'd be fascinating once I got him talking. Imagine the stories he has-silently watching in the darkness, just waiting for something-anything-to happen...

DessertFill in the blank: One day, I hope to see _______________.The smile on my child's face.

Thursday, April 05, 2007

It occurred to me the other day that lots of you have never read the story that I wrote-a novella if you will-a couple of years ago. It used to be a weekly thing and people told me they enjoyed it immensely. It is the a tragic love story that hopefully has a happy ending...it's a true story, based on my life.

I've added a button in my "About Me" section to the right, called "House Broken". If you have any interest, please feel free to take a look. The only think I ask?

Start from the very beginning. Because, as they say, it's a very good place to start...

Hi everyone-just a quick update on how things went at the country club yesterday. Just to recap-I went last week to ask for an internship in the kitchen (which I got) and last was called by the Executive Chef asking if I would be interested in possibly being a manager for their snack shop.

So...I met with the GM and the EC yesterday and they were both super enthusiastic about me. So much so that I feel very, very confident that they will offer me the position. The trouble?

It's only a summer job.

After the summer the EC said I could transition back into the kitchen because he's very interested in keeping me. He also said that he wanted to show me as much as he could. Which is cool. I'm glad I've made such an impression on him as he is a well respected chef who used to work for a good restaurant. His wife also owns a restaurant in Hartford. He's a good person to have impressed.

In any case-I'm just trying to weigh my options so I have something to say when and if they offer it to me....

What's your opinion? Should I take the risk?

1. It's only a summer position, ending in September2. I don't know how much it pays-which will likely be a major deciding factor. (Let's assume it's good enough)3. It's not a lot of hands on food prep/cooking, but instead managing a food service operation-something that's good to have under my belt-especially to begin with. 4. I can work more with food in September.

The good news is that the EC told me that I have a job either way-that I'll work for him in the kitchen even if I don't do the snack bar thing. So that's great!

Help me out...would you take the risk that come September you may not have a job in order to break into a field that you loved?

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

115 miles, 3 disapproving parents and one conceited sister could not stop them from loving each other. They'd heard the protests-the "You're too young's" and the "You can do better's"-but neither of them cared. They were in love, and that was all that mattered.

He told her to look at the moon every night at 9pm. Simply knowing they would be looking at the same moon at the same time bridged the gap and instantly brought her warmth. It was as though he was there with her, in her 16 year old bedroom, his arms wrapped around her whispering "I love you".

She came to know intimately his handwriting-the way he wrote in all capitols and the funny squiggles he made on E's-they all spelled out one thing: "I love you and I will never leave." Letter after letter, day after day, his messages would come, with drawings he left without color so that she could fill them in, together, creating a masterpiece.

Together, they beat the odds.

They grew up learning life's lessons side by side, transcending time and place. They laughed, they cried and most of all, they loved. In a lifetime, she could never imagine loving anyone more than she loved him.

6 years passed, and they went to college together. In their wildest dreams, they could not have thought that their ending would be anything but happy. But it became harder and harder for them to remember the moon and the stars which covered them securely, protecting their hearts and their dreams. Eventually, their memories of dancing in the snow at midnight, kissing until their faces were raw and making love on the rocky beach faded, and all that was left was emptiness.

She fled, then, leaving her family and friends, creating a new life, new memories. It was all she could do to survive. But nothing could erase the permanent mark he left on her heart-the one that said "I love you, and I will never leave."

And in her life, she wandered aimlessly, searching for her lost lover in someone else's body-for the one with whom she can share the moon...

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

1. You spot a UFO, a genuine flying saucer. You decide to mention it to those close to you. Do you expect that most would believe you, or assume that you're either joking or nuts?

2. You move to a new city: what is the first thing you're most likely to check out in your immediate surroundings: restaurants, grocery stores, shopping malls, movie theaters or historic sites?

3. Which room is most likely to contain the greatest number of items that you should throw away, but haven't, yet?

4. What is your favorite kind of sandwich?

Mags Says...

1. I did actually think I saw a UFO in my town a few months ago and when I mentioned it I got a chuckle-the kind of chuckle that I've come to know means, "Mags, you're a weirdo." It's not that he didn't believe me, it's that he thinks I'm nuts. ;)2. Assuming I've already once scoped out the area prior to moving, I'd relocate the grocery stores or a Target type store, as I'm sure these are the first places I'll need to go in the first couple of weeks. After that-give me funky restaurants and bookstores please!3. My guest bedroom. It actually is used as a huge walk-in closet because I don't have enough storage. At the moment, it's hard to even open the door and the entire bed is covered with things. It's on my list of things to do this month.4. I think my favorite sandwich has to be the good old grilled cheese. If it's made properly and is buttery and crispy and golden brown with the right kind of cheese, it's a melty, gooey, crispy pile of goodness that just makes my tummy sing!

Monday, April 02, 2007

I was in the library of the first college I attended, except the actual library was different. It was very tall and the stairs were extremely steep and narrow. It seemed like the building was made entirely of glass because I remember feeling like I was in a green house.

The dream must have been short because I can only recall being at the top of the stairs and looking down. I could see all of the other students descending with confidence, but when I thought about what I was doing (walking down steep steps) I froze and was unable to proceed. The stairs seemed to shrink so that my feet didn't fit on them, and I was forced to balance myself up there so high in the library.

It was only when my cousin (yes, "the" cousin from my earlier post) walked up to me and gave me her hand that I was able to focus again and walk down a few more steps. She then left me and it happened again. The next person to come and help me was a girl from elementary school who I've not talked to in ages. She's a bit of an odd bird. In any case, she talked me through it and I was able to get down a few more steps.

The thing is...I don't remember if I got down the stairs or not. I just remember waking up in a cold sweat, as if it were a nightmare.

Like most little girls, at one time or another, she felt pressure. Pressure to be pretty, pressure to be lady-like, pressure to be polite, silly and smart. These were the pressures that the adults surrounded her placed on her back without even knowing they did so. These were the pressures that after she hopped off of the bus at 3:30pm disappeared and were replaced instead, with the pressures her friends put upon her.

...Having a "cool bike", wearing Guess Jeans, having lip gloss that tasted like strawberries...these were the pressures placed on her 4th grade soul, and these were the things she could not control. After all, her parents "weren't made of money, you know!"

So she pretended not to like riding bikes and wearing jeans and settled for the lipgloss, with it's clear, syrupy sweet liquid rolling over her pretty pink lips. And then she decided to take matters into her own hands.

While the adults had their unspoken pressures of how she should act, her peers were much more vocal. There were, at any given moment, at least 5 different people she was supposed to hate, merely because her friends did. These were usually the girls who were not able to whine their parents into guilt and therefore, did not get to taste strawberries when they licked their lips.

On Friday's she was allowed to walk down the street to play with her cousin and the other neighborhood kids. They'd scamper happily for hours in the woods, playing hide and seek or creating forts out of sticks and leaves. Sometimes, they'd 'discover' a thief and have to hunt down his trail, dreaming in earnest of being interviewed by the local news as heroes.

On this particular Friday, she and her cousin were twirling quietly on the swing set, waiting for the boy they often played with to finish his dinner so he could come play. As they sat, tangled in rusted chain links and dirt, their conversation drifted to Jeannie.

"She's such a douche bag. I hate her so much." Her cousin said.

"I know. She gets whatever she wants. She is so spoiled."

"Let's build a trap for her when Paul gets outside." the cousin giggled manically.

"Yeah! We can make her swing off of the branch and fall into a big pile of poop!" They doubled over in laughter dreaming of their enemy covered in poop.

Minutes later, Paul joined the girls and the three put the plan into action.

Clearing away one area of the yard, they gathered a sizable pile of leaves which they methodically placed at the bottom of the tree they often swum from. It's branch hung over a stone wall and if they stood on their tip toes, they could reach it, swing a few times, and jump into a "pit" made by the hill. This was where they placed the leaves, and, incidentally, the poop.

Because Jeannie was evil, and because they hated her so very much, they decided they would lure her into the pit by inviting her to play with them, watching her swing her way to her own demise.

While her cousin ran next door to bring Jeannie over, Paul added an extra bonus-he wrapped the swing branch with prickers from the near by rosebush. That way, if she happened not to land in the poop, at least her hands would hurt.

The 2 girls came running anxiously over to where Paul and she were waiting. They smiled and waved and asked what we were doing. "Waiting for you!" they replied. "Come down here!" she said.

Out of instinct, her cousin stepped forward and grabbed the swinging branch just as Paul cried out an anguished "NO!"

It was too late. Her hands were bloody from the rose prickers. As she landed in the pit, she slipped and fell to her knees, immediately covered in poop. She'd forgotten to jump slightly to the left in her unexpected moment of pain.

Jeannie, seeing the trap for what it was, ran away laughing, calling them stupid the whole way home.

As for the three mischievous children-for the next 14 days, the pressure the adults put on them was not so unspoken....